Shattering the Calm
by Magic Maryse
Summary: After being shot by an unknown assassin, Nikita Duncan is moved to a place she had once built for emergencies like this. While the entire world is preparing for a seeminlgy inevitable war, the ex-councilor faces the perhaps biggest challenge yet, lying her life into the hands of Andrew Brown, former sentinel and now advisor of Lukas Hunter and the DarkRiver leopards.
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys!

This is my first try of a Nikita Duncan fanfiction in English so please excuse any grammar mistakes you find in the text! ;) Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this story that takes place almost immediately after *spoiler alert* Nikita was shot in Shards of Hope. I was inspired to do this fanfic after reading "Anthony & Nikita" by MissPadfoot101 who has created a great story about our favorite couple in the series. My story will be a lot different though! Rated M to be safe!

Reviews are always welcome! ;)

P.s: I do not own any characters but those I invented myself such as Andrew, Doctor Miller and a few others! :)

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Andrew POV:

Andrew Brown, former sentinel of DarkRiver and now advisor to Lukas Hunter, was more than just pissed about his current situation. Not only had his pack decided to send him to some unknown place to guard one of the most dangerous women the world had to offer, but he also would not be able to stay at his leader's side during such a difficult time of assassination attempts and an upcoming war between a variety of different parties. The leopard growled angrily and Andrew, who was about to get the coffee he had ordered, slammed a hand against the vending machine in front of him. He wasn't even allowed to leave this goddamned place to hunt or get fresh air! The underground bungalow that had been built in case Nikita had to go into hiding was by no means narrow or uncomfortable. Max Shannon had described it as a massive, hospital-like wellness resort that even offered a small park for the leopard run in although the space was clearly limited to a few hundred meters. Still, it was a huge area that reminded Andrew more of a luxury hotel than a bungalow originally built for survival. The walls where mainly a plain white but the architect had made sure to hand up paintings by well-known artists to add some color to the otherwise neat rooms. Andrew was sure that building the bungalow must have cost Nikita a fortune though he was also sure that she must have recovered from the costs almost immediately, considering she was listed as one of the richest women in the world. He still didn't understand why a single psy would need so much space and luxury if they didn't even use most of what the place had to offer.

The blinking display of the vending machine signaled for him to take his coffee and he slowly headed back to the room he had come from a few minutes ago.

When the door closed behind Andrew, he carefully surveyed the woman lying in the bed next to the window through which he could see the park below them. Nikita was still vast asleep which was not really surprising, considering that she had had surgery performed on her only forty-eight hours ago so he sat down in the chair opposite to her and took a sip from his coffee. Andrew still felt uncomfortable sharing a room with the ex-councilor because he didn't trust someone who could easily infect him with a deadly virus. Sascha and Lukas both had promised that Nikita would not harm the pack but he would always make sure to watch his back while he was stuck here.

Having sat in his chair for almost four hours, only getting up to go to the bathroom or to get himself a new coffee, Andrew felt his eyelids become heavy. He hadn't slept a bit since they had brought Nikita to the bungalow, just in case she'd wake up and tried to cut his throat, but now tiredness was washing over him and Andrew had to force himself to stay awake. Shaking his head he sat up straighter in the chair. Falling asleep right in front of Nikita Duncan was absolutely not a good idea. _Keep it together, Brown!_ He scolded himself and the leopard let out a quiet but furious growl.

"I have no intentions of killing you, Mr. Brown."

His head snapped up. Nikita's cool brown eyes were resting on him and again he had to scold himself. How could he have missed her waking up? Clearly, the tiredness was clouding his senses.

"Why do you tell me that?" He asked, trying not to sound as though he was about to fall asleep.

"It is obvious that you are exhausted. I suggest you sleep as you won't be of any use if you are not able to fight in case someone finds us here," Nikita simply stated, her voice still sounding a bit croaky.

Andrew narrowed his eyes. The leopard didn't want to close his eyes and drift off into a state he'd be vulnerable in but the man argued that she would have already killed him had she really wanted to.

"How can I be sure my head isn't going to explode the second I turn my back to you?" The question sounded harsher than he had intended but Andrew doubted that Nikita cared about the tone in his voice too much, if she was able to catch it at all.

"It would not be a very wise move to kill a member of the pack I make business with, Mr. Brown." Again a cool and collected answer from the woman who had almost died less than two days ago and all she cared about was business.

He snorted. Even in her current condition, when she was visibly weaker than Andrew himself, did Nikita Duncan not back down and admit her vulnerability.

"Alright," he answered and put the empty coffee mug on the small table beside his chair. "If you say so…"

Andrew didn't trust her but he trusted his alpha's judgement. Lukas' mate was Sascha Duncan, Nikita's daughter, and rumor had it that the ex-councilor would tear apart anyone who tried to harm the only offspring she has ever had. Besides, he knew she was right to say he'd be of no use in a fight if he was too exhausted so Andrew decided to take the risk and leaned back in the chair to rest his head against the cool wall. His body would hurt like hell by the time he woke up but there was only one bed in the room, which he certainly did not want to share with Nikita Duncan, and he didn't want to leave her alone in case something happened while he was asleep.

Despite his exhaustion, Andrew closed his eyes and let the leopard stay at the surface, senses sharp and tense. The cat would make sure no one was going to cut his throat or the one of the woman he was protecting.

 _Nikita POV:_

Nikita watched the man in the chair opposite to her bed close his eyes and drift into sleep. She had never heard of or seen him before until Sascha had informed her about their plan to move her to the hideout. Nikita hadn't had the time or energy to do researches about Andrew Brown but she had heard enough to know that he apparently was one of DarkRiver's most experienced sentinels and advisor to Lukas Hunter, her daughter's mate. She'd never admit it openly, but Sascha was one of only few people Nikita trusted in her life but she also knew that her daughter didn't have the killer gene. As an empath, Sascha could feel the emotions of others and killing someone would fall back on her and could, eventually, lead to her own death.

Even though Nikita was in significant pain, she did not allow herself to go back to sleep. Instead, she reached out to the only person she trusted enough to not kill her.

 _Anthony_ , she pathed.

 _Nikita._ The familiar voice of Anthony Kyriakus replied only a few moments later. _Why are you conscious?_

 _I have had enough rest, Anthony. What happened?_

For a few seconds, the other psy stayed silent. _Apparently, someone hired a sniper to assassinate you in your office._

 _I figured out that much._ Nikita replied coldly. _Have you found out who fired the bullet?_

 _Not yet, but Aden and his team are working on it. It looks like the bullet is the same type as that used by the assassin who tried to hit him as well._

She thought about it for a moment. There was no doubt that the same person who had hired the first assassin was behind the failed attempt to kill her. _Do we know who he is?_

Anthony paused again. _You should rest._

He avoided her question which made her mind suspicious but his tone signaled her that he was not going to talk about the topic any longer. Even though she was used to be the one in command, she refrained from inquiring any further. _Goodbye, Anthony._

Nikita did not wait for him to reply. She, too, was exhausted and the pain in her chest, abdomen and head told her to go back under but she forced herself to stay focused on what was going on at the moment, recalling every detail she remembered about the day of the shooting.

Nikita had had an appointment with one of her clients. The meeting had went well without any further interruptions and they had both signed the contract she had set up earlier that day.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tall, blonde man stepping into the room. Nikita's sharp eyes took in his appearance, ready to strike in case he was going to try anything.

"You should have knocked, Doctor Miller," she informed him bluntly. "Not many people dare enter my room without announcing themselves."

 _And not too many of them survived that little stunt._ She added in her mind. Nikita was by no means a psychopath, killing anyone who did not knock before entering her office, but most of her unannounced intruders meant to harm her.

"Yes, I am aware of that, Councilor Duncan," the doctor replied and his eyes fell on the sleeping sentinel. "I just assumed that you'd still be unconscious. I wasn't expecting you to be awake after such a short amount of time."

Nikita didn't give an answer to Doctor Miller's words and instead watched him check on the tubes and cables her body was connected to.

"I will come and check on you every two hours until I can be sure your life is no longer in danger," he said. "I will also have to look at your wounds later this day."

He hesitated for a second as if he expected her to give him permission.

"Do what you have to do, Doctor Miller," Nikita replied emotionless.

The doctor nodded once before glancing at Andrew one more time. "Should we bring in another bed for the changeling, Councilor?"

Nikita's eyes landed on the tall figure of Andrew Brown who was still vast asleep in the too small looking chair. "Yes, I think that would be appropriate since Mr. Brown is going to stay here for a bit longer."

Doctor Miller nodded again, closing the door behind him with a quiet _click_.

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So, how did you like the first part? Let me know please! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Hi guys!

I apologize for not uploading any sooner. I have a lot going on at home but I'm looking forward to our summer vacations starting next Saturday! ;) Again, I'm sorry for any mistakes that may or may not be found in the text. Lol Gotta remind you all that English is not my mother tounge and I still haven't found a beta to look at my texts.

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There were two things Andrew realized when he woke up again. Firstly, and it took his eyes almost no time adjusting to it, it was dark around him and only the silvery light of the bungalow's fake night sky illuminated a small part of the room. And secondly, his aching muscles, that screamed with every movement. Perhaps he should have changed into his leopard form and slept on the floor, at least he would have spared himself a stiff neck that way.

Andrew was glad that the machine Nikita's body was connected to didn't make those usual beeping sounds and he closed his eyes again for a moment to enjoy the unexpectedly soft silence surrounding him. When he concentrated hard enough, he could make out the other woman's heartbeat and her steady breathing. It was strange, he thought to himself, how a few hours ago he hadn't really trusted her and yet the slow rhythm of Nikita's heart seemed to relax both the man and the leopard.

When he opened his eyes again, he allowed his gaze to linger at her, taking in her appearance while she was sleeping. The silvery light made her skin look even paler, her dark hair surrounding her face like a halo of black satin. Andrew couldn't help but wonder if it would feel soft and smooth against his fingers but he restrained himself from walking over to her bed to touch it.

Andrew continued to stare at her when he suddenly realized what he was doing. The leopard let out a furious growl. What on earth was wrong with him? Had the man forgotten who Nikita Duncan was? What she was capable of?

Andrew felt the animal's claws sink into his skin and the pain reminded him again of the direction his thoughts were taking him. Yes, he was one of the unfortunate ones who had not found their mate but that did not mean he should throw himself at the most dangerous woman the world had to offer. _Beautifully dangerous…_

There was something about her that had caught his attention, something that made the leopard curious, something… _intriguing._

Andrew shook his head. He'd have to be cautious around her, especially since she seemed to have gotten into his head way too easily and in less than three days which was definitely not a good sign to begin with.

After a quick glance at his watch which told him that dawn was still a couple of hours away, he decided to go back to sleep as he neither expected Nikita to suddenly burst awake and break his neck nor anyone else to do it. He was about to turn around in his way to small and uncomfortable chair when he realized something else. There was a second bed in the room now. Andrew wondered when they had brought it in but figured that it must have been while he had been asleep. He also asked himself if Nikita had been the one to request an additional bed for him to sleep in.

Right now, it didn't really matter to him but his muscles would thank the ex-councilor later for thinking ahead. He stretched out on the surprisingly soft mattress, the smooth material of the blanket gliding over his sensitive skin and the leopard purred happily.

Sleep had come over him almost immediately, but instead of the usual darkness surrounding him, Andrew found himself in a small room full of bookshelves along the walls and a black leather couch in the middle. There were no windows, just a single grey door that seemed oddly out of place and yet he felt as if it belonged exactly where it was. It was strange, Andrew thought. He was sure he was dreaming but the last thing he as a leopard would want to dream about was a narrow room without any connection to nature and it slightly irritated him.

"What are you doing in here, Mr. Brown?", asked a cool voice from behind him and he turned around to see Nikita Duncan standing near one of the bookshelves, arms crossed and cautiously eyeing him. Again, he had failed to recognize her presence, a mistake that could cost him his life outside the bungalow.

He frowned. "That is a really good question, Ms. Duncan."

He refused to use her former title but she did not acknowledge it. Instead, Nikita raised an eyebrow at him, something he had never seen a psy wit flawless conditioning do before. Interesting, and definitely something he'd remember in the future.

"I have never let anyone see this before and I most definitely did not invite you in," she informed him, a dangerous warning swinging in her voice.

He let her words sink in. If what she said was true, she must have had this dream or whatever it was before but Andrew knew that psy didn't dream – not ever. So what was it about Nikita Duncan that made her not fit into everybody else's picture of the psy?

"You have had this before?" He was playing with fire and he knew it but the leopard was fascinated by this new discovery, excitedly walking up and down in its cage.

Andrew watched her, taking in every move she made.

Nikita moved over to the couch, gracefully sitting down with her head held high, still watching him with dark brown eyes. There was absolutely no emotion in them and yet, he was sure that there was something she was hiding not only from him but from everyone else.

"Psy don't dream," Nikita simply stated and the leopard growled.

"What would you call this then?" Andrew tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice but he failed miserably. "An illusion?" He pointed to the bookshelves around the room and the black couch she was sitting on.

 _Nikita POV:_

There were not many times Nikita knew she was wrong, and never did she have to admit her mistakes but right now there was nothing she could say to avoid telling the truth. So she did the only thing that seemed reasonable enough to her; Nikita stayed silent.

After the shooting, she had found herself in significant pain and, as a reaction, had put herself in a coma-like state, discovering that even though her outer shields were still intact, her inner ones had suffered dramatically from the recent events. She did not, however, have the strength to repair them yet but she could not afford to let the wards break because, ultimately, this would lead to her own death and Nikita Duncan was not going to let that happen. To the world out there, she was nothing more than the cold, ruthless business woman people believed her to be. A reputation she had fought hard to establish, one that also served as protection not only for herself but for her daughter who would not have survived under the severe protocol of Silence. It was the woman she wanted the world to see while the real Nikita had been buried deep inside her mind the day Sascha was born, surrounded by countless walls of unbreakable ice.

"What is it that you are hiding, Nikita?" Andrew asked, his glacial blue eyes searching her for an answer as if he could read her mind by just looking at her with enough intensity.

He was getting personal, a fact she did not _like_ \- if she was even capable of expressing her likes and dislikes. As a psy, Nikita was trained not to show or feel emotions and yet it was there; this knowledge that he was invading her privacy and deep inside she knew it made her uncomfortable.

"That, Mr. Brown, is none of your business." Nikita put as much coldness into her voice as possible, but at the same time realized that she had just admitted to hiding something from him.

Andrew chuckled quietly and his eyes sparkled with something Nikita recognized as amusement. She had studied emotions and facial expressions many years ago, finding it necessary to be capable of reading and understanding her clients' behavior.

"Who are you trying to fool?" He said, sitting down next to her. "You already are a target of Pure Psy and you have publicly stated your opinion about Silence. What are you afraid of showing us?"

Again, Nikita did not answer him immediately. Was he able to read her mind or was he just playing with her? _Playing_ , what an odd word for her to use, she thought. Nikita didn't know how to play or how to have fun. Psy didn't have the same upbringing humans or changelings had so playing was not part of their life.

"I do not have feelings, Mr. Brown," she reminded him. "I am not capable of feeling fear, nor any other emotion for that matter."

He snorted and shook his head. "You can fool your people, Nikita, but you can't fool a changeling. Your conditioning may be flawless but you are not silent."

Her heartbeat quickened a little when he leaned in closer and raised a hand to carefully touch her chin. The contact was jolting, sending light waves of pain through her sensitive nerves and, instinctively, Nikita reached for her telekinetic powers to shove Andrew away from her.

Even though her attack must have taken him by surprise, he managed to land on both of his feet.

"If you do something like this again, I'm going to kill you," Nikita informed him bluntly, trying to calm down her racing heartbeat. "You've already invaded my privacy by coming here, but you will never touch me again."

 _Andrew POV:_

He was pushed out of the dream by a sudden force that caught him off guard once again. When he opened his eyes, Nikita was still sleeping peacefully – or as peaceful as she could be after their little incident in the dream.

Andrew was furious and he felt the leopard's presence trying to break through. How could he have been so stupidly blind? His heart was racing inside his chest, beating against his ribcage while adrenaline rushed through his veins. He just couldn't resist the urge to touch that ivory skin of hers so he had reached out – a terrible mistake Nikita had made him pay for. No more touching. How on earth was he going to survive without touching her now that he had done it once? He wanted to break her conditioning, wanted to melt those damn walls she kept building around herself for protection. Protection from what? _He_ wanted to be the one to protect her. Andrew had felt her racing heartbeat, had seen the surprise briefly in her eyes when his hand had touched her skin. He needed her to trust him but Andrew had a feeling that he would have to go a long way to regain that little trust that had been there in the beginning. Even if it was based solely on his alpha's word and Sascha's insurance that neither of them was a danger to the other.

With a furious growl, Andrew jumped out of the bed. He needed to get out of this room as long as he still had control over the animal that was rattling on its cage to be let free.

As soon as he stepped into the park, he shifted into his leopard form, not caring for his clothes to get ragged in the process.

 _Nikita POV:_

Nikita had shoved Andrew out of her head with all the force she could bring up. Her shields were weak, not functioning properly to prevent anyone from coming too close. Nikita barely touched anyone; she hadn't even touched Sascha in years. How could she even let him get this close?

Nikita looked down on her trembling hands. She would fix this mess tomorrow, making sure that none of her shields had any cracks left that could eventually lead to the failure of her entire system. She'd make sure to undergo reconditioning so every single feeling she had had today would be erased. The walls of ice she had built around herself would not break; Nikita was not going to let that happen.

However, she had not taken into consideration that ice, no matter how thick, could melt if exposed to too much heat and that leopard was beginning to bring summer to the arctic mind of hers.

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I am absolutely not sure if this is something anyone is interested in reading since it does not really involve Anthony and I know most of us - including myself - totally ship Nikita & Anthony.

Also, I'm not sure if that last sentence is gramatically correct or if it's something a native speaker would say like that. Maybe someone could let me know. Lol


	3. Chapter 3

Hi guys!

I apologize for letting you all wait for so long. I've been on vacation for three weeks and with everything that's going on in my family right now it's difficult for me to find enough time to actually write. We've got a lot of health issues that probably won't go away as quickly as we hoped they would so this is going to go on for a while now.

I'm already almost finished with the fourth chapter, meaning you won't have to be quite as patient as you have been now. ;)

Thanks a lot to my beta, YLCourt, for editing this chapter and helping me with grammar and spelling mistakes! :)

Enjoy the reading!

Franziska

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The next day, Andrew had been pacing around the park for the rest of the night, he found himself walking toward Nikita's room again. It wasn't like he had planned to go there in the first place, but his body subconsciously felt drawn to her and so his feet had begun to carry him this way. He stopped dead in his track and immediately headed off into the opposite direction.

Talking to Nikita was probably not the best idea at the moment. Not when his mood was still heated up and his mind not able to produce any clear thoughts.

It was better for both of them, he told himself. Andrew still felt like an idiot for letting his animalistic tribes get the upper hand when he should have suppressed his urge to touch her. Nikita was nothing like Sascha or Faith. Unlike her daughter, she was not on the edge of having a mental breakdown because as far as Andrew knew, Nikita was not an empath; she was a Gradient 9.1 TP-Psy - and telepathic abilities were not based on feelings.

She wasn't anything like Faith either. Even though the small redhead, who was Vaughn D'Angelo's mate, had grown up in complete isolation, she had been more open to emotions than Nikita. An advantage caused by her cardinal abilities in foresight that were also based on feelings. It had taken Vaughn a while to warm her up and break her conditioning, showing Faith what she had missed out on during her life under Silence. Lucas had more luck with Sascha's already crumbling walls of ice and her being an empath and Andrew had watched both men change for the better ever since.

He couldn't help but envy them as he had never been granted the wish to share what they had - to love someone with all his heart and devout his life to his mate. If he was honest, he'd already given up all hope to ever find the love of his life, accepting that he'd be one of the unfortunate ones who were not meant to share.

Andrew knew that he wouldn't be as lucky as his pack members; Nikita was more than two decades older than Sascha and Faith, hadn't been touched in years for all he could tell. Her being a Council member did not make things any easier. Nikita probably had had to build impossibly strong shields to protect herself from the other Councilors who were all as ruthless as she herself.

Hell, had he been in her position, he would have done the same. Always in fear someone could try to kill her the second she looked away, always keeping an eye on her enemies, leading an entire race and raising her flawed daughter to adulthood. The woman was a miracle to the leopard and part of him admired her for her strength and unbreakable will.

Another part, however, despised her for being who she was; a ruthless, cold-hearted and calculating business woman who achieved her goals with a sometimes cold blooded cruelty. She wasn't exactly evil, as Sascha had once pointed out, but Nikita Duncan would ally herself with the devil if it meant a gain in power and wealth.

The beast in Andrew was still restless, not sure what to do with its new feelings towards the Councilor. It wanted to tear her apart with its sharp claws and sink its teeth into her to taste blood, but on the other hand it wanted the woman to run her hand over the leopard's smooth fur, wanted to feel her and taste her ivory skin. It was driving him insane.

The frustration about Nikita Duncan and her ability to completely turn his feelings upside down was almost too much to take.

Andrew scowled, making his way to God knew which part of the hideout. The corridors looked so much the same, he felt like he was back on one of those Navy ships where each deck equaled the other.

"Are you lost?" A female voice interrupted his thoughts, startling him.

"Excuse me?" Andrew turned around and realized that his words may have sounded a little too harsh, but as soon as he caught the metallic smell of the psy in front of him, he restrained himself from apologizing.

The woman's expression was blank, completely lacking in emotion. "If you need help orientating, I can bring you a map of the facility."

The offer was so very Psy that his instincts told him to send her to hell, but his brain argued that a map would indeed be helpful in his situation.

"Yes, thank you for your offer," Andrew said politely, remembering his manners.  
He expected her to go somewhere to get the map but to his surprise she happened to carry one in the pocket of her medical scrubs.

That reminded him of something.

"Are you one of the doctors here?" Andrew asked and took the piece of paper from her Hands.

The woman nodded, her firmly pinned up hair remaining strictly in place. "I am part of the medical team that was hired to take care of the Councilor if that's your question."  
The thought of having his life depend on someone who didn't feel made Andrew's hair stand on end. He just couldn't imagine Tamsyn, or Shayla before her, being anything but passionate about their work and their will to heal others.

"How's the Councilor doing?" He asked, using Nikita's formal title, "Is she stable?"

The doctor looked at him for a moment with cool blue eyes. She probably wasn't sure whether she was allowed to pass on this kind of information about her employer to a changeling. "Her physical status is stable, the Councilor is recovering from her wounds as planned. However, the healing process will take its time as we have decided not to use fast-healing techniques due to the depth of her injuries."

Andrew frowned. "You said her physical status is stable. What exactly does that mean?"  
"You are referring to her psychical status?" He nodded. "Due to some... difficulties the Councilor has requested to undergo reconditioning. The process will stabilize her shields and prevent her mind from deteriorating."

The psy made it sound like this was the most natural thing in the world, like it was something you'd go and tell your neighbor about. Andrew's blood froze in his veins and his heart skipped a beat.

Reconditioning. He knew the word, knew the meaning of it and it made his mind go blank. The leopard saw red and furiously tried to free itself from its mental cage.

How could Nikita Duncan possibly think that erasing all her emotions could be the right thing to do? Andrew wouldn't let them take her away from him, make her even more like the ice sculpture she already was.

"You can't be serious," he said, clenching his jaw. "She has just undergone serious surgery - she'll be too weak to handle being brain wiped!"

The woman didn't even flinch at the aggression in his tone. Instead, she replied calmly with a voice of steel. "The Councilor is aware of the risks and is acting against medical advice. However, influencing her decision is beyond our authorization."

Andrew stared at her. "No, you're just scared that someone will have to wipe up the remains of your brains if she infects you with a virus."

"I can only repeat myself," she said, sounding very much like a robot. "We do not have the authorization to decide for the Councilor."

Andrew gave her one last furious glare before heading down the corridor with determined strides.

Looking at the map, he realized he was only a few blocks away from Nikita's room.  
If she wanted to be stubborn, so be it; he'd play along and make her see reason. And if he had to beat her unconscious, he didn't care.

Nikita was laying in her bed in the neat white room, her eyes closed and her breathing even; she was sleeping. For a split second, Andrew stood frozen in the doorway, thinking about his options. The hell with the consequences, he'd wake her up right now and get this straight.

Andrew made his way across the room and sat down on the bed next to her.

 _If you touch me again, I am going to kill you_. Those had been her exact words last time but he was willing to take the risk of it meant she'd change her mind about reconditioning.  
Andrew reached out, gripping her hand firmly and readying himself for her to attack. Nikita's eyes shot open and she gasped at the sudden contact, immediately withdrawing her hand.  
"Were my orders not clear enough, Mr. Brown?" Her voice was icy, not giving away the faintest touch of emotion.  
"Quite clear, actually," Andrew answered, relieved that she hadn't used her powers on him again. "But extraordinary circumstances afford extraordinary measures."  
Almond-shaped eyes looked at him and Andrew could swear he saw a spark of anger in them but when he blinked, it was all gone again. Nikita was as cold as ice; unapproachable and completely emotionless. It made the beast in Andrew want to lash out at her for being so utterly stupid. Couldn't she see what she was missing out on?  
"You can consider yourself lucky to be alive after the stunt you've just pulled." A warning he didn't misunderstand; the next time he touched her without permission, she'd make her threat come true, he had no doubt about that.  
"You are not going to undergo reconditioning," he informed her bluntly, holding back the leopard that was pacing just beneath the surface. "You're not even close to a recovery from the injuries you've suffered."  
Nikita didn't flinch, she didn't so much as move or blink at his words but he could sense her uneasiness.  
"Mr. Brown," she said calmly. "As my security, you are responsible for my safety. My health, however, is nothing of your concern. If you do not or cannot follow the instructions given to you by your superiors, I will have you removed."  
Andrew stared at her, couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Then, a sly smile made its way across his lips. "There's only one tiny problem in your well-thought plan, Councilor Duncan," he said, pronouncing her title on purpose. "You can't fire me."

Nikita POV:

Nikita had a hard time focusing on the content of their conversation; she was too busy trying to prevent her shields from collapsing and put all her strength into it.  
The man in front of her was getting to her, erupting emotions deep inside her mind Nikita had thought to be long lost. She'd spent her entire life, half a century, to force her feelings behind a massive wall of ice with the only purpose being to survive in a world under Silence. Nikita had thought her Silence to be impeccable; so flawless that she could fool the entire psy population into believing that she was so cold her heart had frozen over.  
"I can ask for another sentinel to guard me while necessary." Her voice, calm and cold, did not betray what was going on inside her mind. Nikita had been taught to fake perfection; she was a master at her game and playing by her own rules. "You are replaceable, Mr. Brown. I suggest you choose your words wisely."  
The cracks in her shields were still there, small but visible.  
"Well," Andrew replied in what Nikita recognized as defeat, though somehow she suspected that he wasn't done yet. "Since I do not seem to be able to change your mind, maybe your daughter will be more successful."

Sascha POV:

Sascha was curled up underneath the satin blanket next to her mate who was snoring softly. It was still very early in the morning, the sun had risen not long ago, and with Naya still asleep the couple could enjoy the silence while it lasted. Their daughter had been very active during the night before, keeping her parents on their toes almost the entire time.  
However, Sascha could not find the peaceful sleep her body was longing for; too many thoughts were racing through her mind, keeping her awake. She hadn't seen Nikita until shortly after the doctors had released her from the intensive care unit and although Andrew had called to tell them that everything was alright the next day, that Nikita was stable and recovering from her injuries, Sascha couldn't help but worry about her mother.  
An arm wrapped itself around her waist from behind, pulling her closer to Lucas' warm body.  
"What's bugging you, kitten," he said lazily, his voice still sleepy. "I know something's up, you haven't slept all night."  
She sighed. There was absolutely no point in lying to Lucas; he always knew if something was wrong or if she needed his comfort. It warmed her heart, the feeling of his love deep inside her soul burning brightly, shoving away the darker emotions that had been lingering there.  
"It's my mother," Sascha confessed with another sigh. "She's always been so strong, so ruthless and just invincible in my eyes that it never even occurred to me that she could get hurt."  
Lucas pushed himself up a little, pressing a soft kiss on top of her head and letting his hand slide up her right arm.  
"If there's one thing I've learned about your mother, kitten, it's that she's as tough and strong as an old wolf. It takes more than just a bullet to take her down. I bet she's already being a pain in the ass for Andrew."  
That made Sascha chuckle a little, her eyes shiny with tears.  
"She can be a bit difficult, can't she?" Sascha turned around to look Lucas in the face. His green cat-like eyes were filled with love and concern that she knew was directed only toward her. She reached out and tucked a black strand of hair behind his ear, then she leaned forward to capture his lips in a slow, sweet kiss that made her toes tingle.  
"Thanks," she murmured against his mouth. "For being there for me, Lucas."  
He smiled down at her, his eyes half closed. "Always, kitten."  
Just as they were about to kiss again, Lucas' phone started to ring and they both flinched, taken by surprise.  
The Panther growled at the device, probably killing the caller in his mind as he stood and walked over to the drawer and picked up.  
A moment later he frowned, then raised an eyebrow and grinned, holding out the phone for Sascha.  
"It's Andrew," he said as she took it out of his hand. "Something about Nikita being stubborn but he used too many swear words to understand the content of his tirade."  
She held the phone to her ear. "Andrew, what's wrong?"  
The other man let out a sigh of exasperation. "I'm trying to make Nikita see reason but she threatened to have me removed so I called you."  
Sascha frowned. "She can't do that, that's out of question and beyond her authority. Why would she want to send you away anyway?"  
She could hear Naya starting to wake up in the other room but when she turned around, Lucas was already on the way to look after her. Sascha smiled happily; she was glad to have him as her mate and being a father suited him surprisingly well. At least it kept him from doing anything stupid.  
"Sascha, she wants to undergo reconditioning," Andrew said and the smile froze on her face. "She's too weak for it but I can't convince her otherwise so I called you. I can handle leopards that have gone rouge, but I'm completely lost here."  
She nodded even though he couldn't see it through the phone. "We're coming over. Just... just keep her from doing anything she'll regret or that could cost her life."  
Sascha's heart beat wildly in her chest, not with excitement but with fear. If Nikita had decided to undergo reconditioning, something had to be wrong and Sascha wasn't sure if she could handle her mother's death. "And Andrew," she paused for a moment. "Thank you for calling."

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I hope you liked the chapter. Don't be afraid to tell we what you think about it! ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Hi guys!

I'm so sorry for not updating any sooner but for some reason I couldn't access my account. The next update probably won't be before my semester break and my exams so you'll have to be patient again.

My apologies but I hope you'll enjoy the new chapter! :)

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An hour later, Sascha and Lucas arrived at the hideout, accompanied by a tense-looking Dorian and Judd Lauren who had offered to teleport the trio to Nikita's place and spared them a long drive through the country.

Doctor Miller was the first one to cross their path, his blond hair shimmering golden in the fake sunlight. There was a clipboard in his right hand and although Sascha could only make out a few single words on it, it was clear to her that the sheet of paper was about her mother's soon to be reconditioning.

She swallowed and tried not to think of the consequences should the procedure fail. Lucas took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly and Sascha was thankful for his support. She could always rely on her mate's strength because he'd be there for her no matter what happened and there was no need to say that she'd do the same for him in return. They were like day and night, completing each other perfectly and both of them would sacrifice their life for the other without hesitation. Sascha still hoped that her mother would feel like that as well one day, that Nikita would get to know what it felt like to be loved and share the same connection she and Lucas had. Right now it was just wishful thinking but the cardinal E-Psy didn't want to give up all hope for the only parent she'd ever had.

"Doctor Miller," Sascha called out and the blonde man turned around to face them.

"Ms. Duncan, Mr. Hunter." He bowed his head respectfully but did not reach out to shake their hand; something Sascha was familiar with as psy under Silence were trained not to feel or touch one another. It didn't bother her or the three men accompanying her. "What can I do for you?"

Neither Dorian nor Judd acknowledged that they had strictly been ignored by the doctor and silently waited for Sascha to speak again.

"Is there a reason why my mother wants to undergo reconditioning?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"The medical team has examined the Councilor's shields," Doctor Miller replied. "Given the circumstances, they are somewhat weaker; a consequence of the high dosage of analgesics. However, no significant damage to the brain or your mother's mental abilities has been found, the reports showed no signs of deterioration."

In other words, there was absolutely no reason for Nikita to have such a request.

"If, as you say, everything is alright," Sascha spoke again. "Why would she make this decision?"

"I have no answer to your question, Ms. Duncan." The man's voice showed no signs of emotion in it. "Her decision was made against medical advice. The Councilor is aware of the consequences but has chosen to undergo the procedure nevertheless."

Lucas' hand squeezed hers lightly, letting his mate know that her panther was there for support.

"Where is my mother now?" Deep inside, Sascha hoped that she wasn't too late, that she could still convince her mother otherwise but it was difficult to change Nikita's mind once she had set it up and Sascha had never been good at arguing with the woman who'd survived in the Council for over a decade.

Doctor Miller looked at her with cool grey eyes. "The Councilor is still in her room. I'm doing my round now, if you would like to follow me."

Sascha nodded and looked up to Lucas who gave her a reassuring smile.

"Come on, Kitten," he whispered only for her and Dorian to hear. "Let's visit the old wolf."

She had to crack a smile at the memory of what her mate had told her this morning. _If there's one thing I've learned about your mother, kitten, it's that she's as tough and strong as an old wolf_.

"Yes, thank you, Doctor Miller," Sascha said to the doctor with a nod.

Nikita POV:

When Nikita had woken up again, the changeling had already left the room, leaving her alone in an almost peaceful silence. She hadn't seen him since their argument earlier this morning about her decision to undergo reconditioning.

Nikita was aware that the doctors wouldn't find anything unusual when they had examined her shields after her request had been made but the measure was necessary for her sanity. If she wasn't able to suppress what was hiding deep inside her mind by using her own powers, she'd have to erase all cracks in her inner wards by undergoing a dangerous procedure; one that could kill her in the worst case.

The door opened but the man stepping inside the room was not who Nikita had expected.

"Sascha is here to see you, Councilor Duncan," Doctor Miller's cold voice sounded through the air.

He placed a clipboard on the table next to her bed and reached out to check on the tubes Nikita's body was connected to.

She didn't have to look up to see who entered the room next; Nikita had already felt the woman's presence.

 _Sascha_. The only daughter she had ever borne.

"Mother." Cardinal eyes watched her, the tiny white stars sparkling on a black background. "How are you feeling?"

The words were not directed at Nikita's emotional state as the former Councilor was trained not to feel.

"The pain is decreasing though still present," she answered coolly as if it didn't bother her at all. Nikita did not want to admit that the pain she was in was still significant because she'd be given another dosage of analgesics and right now she needed her full concentration to seal up the darker part of her mind. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were all right," Sascha said softly. "Mother, why do you want to undergo reconditioning? The doctors said that your shields are fine."

The question had been unavoidable when it came to her daughter, Nikita knew. Sascha was an empath, always concerned about those around her as it was part of her natural ability.

"I'm a member of the Ruling Coalition" Her answer was simple, reasonable. "Showing any kind of weakness right now could be fatal. Reconditioning is going to erase all defects I have suffered from the recent attack."

A lie, she knew. The procedure could very well make her more vulnerable.

Sascha's cardinal gaze lingered at her but she said nothing, not stepping back from beside Nikita's bed.

"Your current state is stable, Councilor," Doctor Miller, eyes fixed at the clipboard in his hands while writing down notes. "However, I still recommend you to reconsider your decision. The procedure can be critical in your condition."

Nikita's cool brown eyes stared at him. "The decision is final, Doctor Miller."

There was no need for her to say anything else; none of the medics would dare not to follow her orders. Even in her current condition, when she was weak and vulnerable, Nikita could very well infect them with her deadliest viruses and erase all memory of the psy working for her in an instant. She had made extensive researches about her employees, had selected each of them carefully after months of surveillance and making sure their loyalty toward Duncan Investments was incorruptible – none of them would do anything against her will.

"Doctor Miller," Sascha spoke again, much to Nikita's surprise. "Would you leave us alone for a moment, please?"

The medic's glance fell on Nikita, obviously waiting for her permission. She nodded, bringing her jet black hair into motion.

Sascha patiently waited for the man to close the door behind him before raising her voice again. "You really shouldn't undergo reconditioning, not when you are in such a bad condition."

She was worried.

"I'm stable. My mental and physical condition-"

"I know what you've told me before, mother," Sascha interrupted her firmly, reaching out to take Nikita's hand. The contact was jolting. "You should know by now that lying to me about feelings is useless. I'm an empath, mother, you have raised me long enough to see what I'm capable of."

Nikita stared at her, eyes as cool and unreadable as ever.

"You're in significant pain and your wounds are still healing. You've been out of surgery for only the third day, if your shields are okay as the doctors say, it has to be something else."

Yes, Nikita thought. "You are wrong," was all she said.

Her throat was beginning to become soar from too much talking, signaling her to put her mind to rest.

Sascha shook her head, determined to not let go. "That's a lie, mother, and we both know it." She sat down on the bed beside Nikita. "You've kept me alive all those years, knowing what I was. All you had to do was to organize an 'accident' for me to die in but you've gone into hyper-drive to raise and protect me all those years ago. It took me a while to realize it, mother, but I understand. I would have done the same."

There was nothing left to say for Nikita as she allowed herself to live fully in this moment when she did not have to pretend her daughter didn't matter. Sascha knew, destroying all the careful groundwork Nikita had made to disassociate herself from the only child she had ever borne within the blink of an eye. So many lies had been spoken throughout the years, so many lives taken and careers destroyed to protect her daughter, the cardinal psy who everyone had told her was flawed, but who she'd known was a power that could not be allowed to come into her own.

Nikita closed her eyes, tired from the efforts she'd made today – a gesture she only made in front of the person she trusted the most.

A polite knock on her mind, so familiar and yet dangerously close to her breaking wards – _Sascha_. Nikita restrained herself from pushing her daughter away, allowing the mental connection as she did not dare betray too much.

 _Your shields are weaker, mother._ Sascha pathed. _But they are not crumbling._

Nikita allowed her daughter to examine her shields, letting herself be surrounded by the other psy's aura.

 _Reconditioning will strengthen my wards, Sascha. I cannot afford to show weakness._

Not when there was so much at stake.

Sascha's wandering mind paused, her bright presence surrounding Nikita like a halo, burning her ever so slightly.

 _Reconditioning can't fix what you want to have fixed, mother. Believe me, I know._

 _It will._

 _Let me show you how to build up your shields again, mother._ Sascha's voice was gentle.

Nikita knew that her daughter was only trying to help, not able to fight her nature as an empath but she didn't understand, did not know what lay behind other woman's weakened shields.

 _No._ She wasn't strong enough to modify her wards yet, too many medications still running through her veins, making her brain a bit sluggish.

 _Mother, please let me help._ A plead. One Nikita purposely ignored. _What you are trying to do will not be a long-term solution._

 _It will be enough for now._ Her words were final, her mind set up. There was nothing that could alter her decision, nothing that could be said or done to change her mind.

 _I hope you are right, mother, for your own sake. I just wish you would listen to me – you'd see that there is always more than one possibility._

 _Not this time, there isn't._

Sascha POV:

Sascha retreated from her mother's mind, devastated that she wasn't able to make Nikita see reason, to open her eyes to what she was about to do.

A silent tear ran down her cheek but she didn't bother to wipe it away. Instead, she squeezed her mother's hand again and placed a light kiss on top of Nikita's head before leaving the other psy to herself again.

Closing the door behind her, Sascha broke down in tears. Lucas caught her immediately, putting his strong arms around her and letting her cry on his shoulder.

The pain that filled her heart, her soul, was overwhelming, rushing through every vein in her body. It made her feel dizzy and Sascha held on tightly to her mate's shirt.

"She's going to do it, Lucas," she whispered shakily. "She's going to undergo reconditioning and there was nothing I could do to stop her."

He held her even tighter, pressing a soft kiss into her smooth dark hair.

"Your mother is tough, kitten," Lucas assured her. "If anyone can survive this, it's going to be her."

Sascha tried to believe him, but she couldn't. "She's barely been out of surgery for three days, her shields are weakened and her mind is not strong enough to withstand such a procedure. Not yet." She said, shaking her head.

Sascha felt the panther's love embrace her, filling her with a new hope she hadn't thought she possessed. Even though she was the empath in their relationship, a cardinal whose power was so great that she could easily heal a damaged mind without much effort, Lucas was her bastion of calm in times like these.

"When I examined her shields today, I saw something," Sascha whispered and looked up into his bright green eyes. "I don't think it's her shields she's worried about, Lucas. There's something else, something she's afraid of showing us - but I could feel it." Sascha closed her cardinal eyes, remembering the coldness touching her own mind. "I've felt it, Lucas. There is something below her shields that has been slumbering deep inside her mind for years, and it's awakening now."

His gaze lingered at her, worried and thoughtful as he brushed back a strand of her hair.

"Is it dangerous?" he asked, his protectiveness gaining the upper hand.

Sascha sighed. "I don't know, Lucas, I don't know."

She leaned her forehead against his chest.

"What do your psy-senses tell you, kitten?" The panther smiled down at her, gently massaging her neck.

She frowned. "That reconditioning won't put it back to sleep, that it's inevitably going to burst onto the surface one day. But you know something I don't, right?"

His laugh vibrated in his chest and she stepped away from him, glancing at her mate suspiciously. The panther liked to play games with her and he was getting better at it; and sometimes – more often as of lately – he managed to drive her up the wall. Somehow Sascha just couldn't be mad at Lucas for long and her anger only added to his amusement anyway.

"She doesn't smell."

Sascha's eyes went wide. "Do you think it's possible that…"

Lucas hunched his shoulders. "I don't know, kitten. I can just tell you how it is - whether it's a god thing or a bad one, I can't say."

"Hm…" Was all she said but hope arose in her heart again, making it easier for the cardinal psy to breath. Perhaps her mother wasn't lost after all.

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Like always, let me know what you think about it! ;) Is the plot still too rushed? I'm trying to slow things down a little, promise. :D


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys!

I again apologize for not updating any sooner. The problem is that my computer was hacked about 2 months ago and all my data is lost now, forcing me to start all over again. :( I'm currently using a laptop I borrowed and am working on the next chapter.

Enjoy reading! I hope you like what I did here and that it's not as rushed anymore (?).

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Unknown POV:

Deep down under the surface in the mountains of Siberia, miles away from the warm and sunny California, a tall man with graying blond hair sat at his desk in the middle of a small office-like room that was illuminated by the cold light of a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. His eyes, the eyes of a cardinal, sprinkled with hundreds of white stars, scanned the report in his hands carefully. The numbers in the charts were not what they had wanted but he had not expected the experiments to succeed after the first round had been a failure, resulting in the deaths of nine of the ten participants. He would have to talk to the responsible scientists, make them clear what was at stake if they failed another time. Their race had to be protected, the rebellion destroyed which was why their work was of the utmost importance to restore the correct order of power in the world.

He pulled out his organizer and typed in a number. The current problems would have to be solved and any obstacles along the way had to be eliminated before they posed a danger to their success.

"Dr. Schwarz," he said, voice as cold as ice. "I have just finished your report about Project Z. There still seem to be a few issues concerning the activation of the chip. I want them solved by the end of this week. The matter is urgent."

The man on the other end remained silent. He was aware of what was at stake and he knew which fate was going to await him if he failed.

"I want your report on my desk by Sunday evening. Make sure the participants survive the next round of experiments; the superiors are getting impatient."

He ended the call without further notice, not waiting for the scientist to respond. There was no need for explanations; his people knew what they had to do.

His next step, however, was going to be a very different one. It had nothing to do with Project Z, not yet at least, but his task afforded his full concentration.

He opened a hidden drawer at his desk and pulled out a white file marked with a red flag. The picture of a tall woman with ebony hair and cardinal eyes was in it, but the woman was not what he was interested in. His attention was drawn to the child in her arms; a child that was both psy and changeling. The core of the rebellion, its origin, had to be eliminated but they all knew that simply killing the girl would not result in anything. They'd rather use her to their own advantage and when the time was due, the right choices would have to be made. The first step, however, would have to be to take the child away from its protection and bring her to their headquarters; and he would be the man to lead the operation.

Nikita POV:

Hours had passed since she had last seen her changeling guardian and Nikita began to wonder whether he had actually quit his services. She had not been able to sense his presence but her own senses where still weakened by the medications given to her by Doctor Miller. The analgesics suppressed the physical pain that had come with the depth of her injuries, but there was a new kind of pain that had slowly worked its way to the surface and made it continuously more difficult for her to focus.

Nikita reached out for the glass of water on the nightstand next to her and took a sip. The cold, colorless liquid ran down her burning throat and she shuddered involuntarily. The new waves of emotions she now felt by such simple things as drinking or eating were once again evidence of her deteriorating mind and showed her even more that reconditioning was an inevitable necessity she'd have to undergo if she wanted to survive in this currently unstable world.

Out of instinct, Nikita checked on her mental shields. The outer wards were still intact and stronger now that the medications started losing their effects on her but her inner wards, invisible to the ones looking at her from the outside, were crumbling under the sheer force of the power that lay beneath them. A power she could not allow to come to the surface; a power she had yet to fully understand herself and one that could pose a threat to the people she had sworn to protect.

A polite knock on her mind drew her attention away from her inner shields and to the person trying to contact her.

 _Anthony,_ she pathed. _Have there been any new developments concerning the case?_

 _Not yet._ The other psy's voice sounded clear in her head. _We are still looking for the person behind the assassination attempts._

Nikita was silent for a moment. _Have there been other attempts so far?_

 _No. Not that we know of._

 _Then what is the reason for your call, Anthony?_ She had just found a new crack on her already fragile inner wards and forced herself to not let her focus drift away from the conversation they were leading.

 _Sascha told me about your decision to undergo reconditioning,_ he informed her after a short pause. _Do you really think this is the best option you have, Nikita? After all, we live in a world that is rapidly changing._

 _What are you suggesting, Anthony?_ She made her voice sound as cool and emotionless as possible, trying not to reveal the uproar that was going on inside her mind.

 _You openly stated your opinion about Silence, Nikita. Your own daughter is a cardinal E-Psy; you have made San Francisco into a sanctuary for those who seek shelter from organizations like Pure Psy. Your decision to undergo reconditioning will harm the Coalitions reputation and your own._ Anthony's words sounded reasonable, almost too reasonable to argue against him. Still, she could not let his argumentation change her mind because the power that slumbered deep inside her could not be allowed to be unleashed.

 _I did not invite defective psy to stay in the city, they made that decision themselves,_ Nikita countered coolly. _I don't see how I could harm the Coalition by renewing my conditioning._

Another lie, one Anthony saw straight through.

 _Even you can't be so blind and not see what this decision would do, Nikita._ Anthony persisted in an equally cold tone. _What is the real reason for taking that measure?_

She couldn't tell him. She was too weak already and even though Nikita did not expect Anthony Kyriakus to stab her with a knife, she could not allow anyone to know about her crumbling shields.

 _It's none of your concern, Anthony._ A slight warning swinging in her words. _I have my reasons for doing what I do and it is best for both me and the Coalition if I undergo reconditioning. This is the last I will say about the matter, Anthony._

The other psy was silent for a moment. _Good night, Nikita._ Was all he said before retreating his mind from her own.

Anthony POV:

Back in his office in Tahoe, Anthony Kyriakus sat at his desk in silence, thoughtfully staring out of the window. After Sascha's call he had contacted Nikita immediately but the former councilor and his closest ally was determined to undergo a procedure that would take her even deeper into Silence, a protocol she had openly refused to support any longer. Anthony had tried to change her mind, using arguments that seemed totally reasonable and logical in another silent psy's eyes but Nikita had not stepped down. _It is the best for both me and the Coalition if I undergo reconditioning._ What was she hiding? It was clear to Anthony that there was more to it than simply re-stabilizing her mental shields; something she did not want the world to see. He was by no means an empath and unlike Sascha he was not able to detect any emotional signals but he did indeed notice that Nikita had been distracted during their short conversation a few minutes ago. Her mind had seemed… distant, as though she was not completely focused on him but rather on something else, something he suspected to be the reason behind her decision.

Anthony thought about it for a moment. He was sure that, in their next meeting, the rest of the Coalition members were going to talk about the matter. It affected them all in one way or another and with Nikita being one of the most important public faces of their party, her current state was not something they could just dismiss.

Andrew POV:

Andrew had been making calls to different people all day, hoping to find out more about the shooter or the people he worked for – without success. The guy was a phantom; they knew absolutely nothing about him – or her. How were they supposed to find a person without even having a proper lead? Somehow Andrew doubted that the bullet they had recovered from the crime scene would get them anywhere. Of course, he had no real proof but his instincts told him that the entire scenario had been a setup to put the blame on someone else; a scapegoat that was made responsible for a crime they didn't commit. But where was he supposed to begin his research?

Perhaps… It was just a thought but it was one that Andrew considered worth following.

He pulled out his phone again, a lame excuse of a smartphone that had definitely seen better days, and dialed in a number he hadn't used in years.

"Hey, Eric…" He began when the call went straight to voicemail. "It's me, Andrew. We haven't talked in a while but I need your help with something. Call me back when you hear this, okay? I know you probably have a lot on mind – you always do – but this is kinda important so I'd appreciate it if you could call me back quickly."

He sighed and pinched his nose. Eric Marlow was a computer genius and someone people mostly only called whenever they had a problem they couldn't solve. The man was almost always busy and on some secret mission he wasn't allowed to talk about but Andrew trusted him enough to contact Eric for advice.

Right now, however, Andrew decided that it was time to look after Nikita again. He had been avoiding her all day in hope the former Councilor would calm down enough to see reason but apparently Sascha's visit had proved fruitless.

The walk back to the woman's room was longer then he thought it'd be. Andrew was surprised to find out that he had almost gotten to the other end of the bungalow while walking around during his many phone calls but he easily remembered the way to his protégé.

Andrew didn't bother knocking and stepped through the door without announcing himself.

Nikita, who must have spent her time sleeping before his return, opened her eyes to look at him before closing them again. She was obviously exhausted and, to be frank, Andrew wasn't surprised at all about this. After all, the Councilor had had quite a tight schedule this day and he was glad that she was finally resting.

"I did not expect you to come back, Mr. Brown." Nikita's voice was hoarse and it took her some effort to speak.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Her brown, almond-shaped eyes stared at him. "You have been absent for the majority of the day. Not the common behavior of a guardian."

"I've been trying to get a lead on our case," he explained, not mentioning that he had also stayed away to avoid her. "And I thought that you would want some privacy with your daughter."

She was silent and he sat down in the chair opposite of the bed, crossing his legs and leading back with his arms resting on the armrests.

"Have your researches lead to anything new?"

He had expected such a question but, luckily, Andrew didn't have to come up with a lie this time around. "No," he admitted. "But we may have been approaching the matter from the wrong side. But you should rest, Nikita. I am not content with your decision to undergo reconditioning, but I also understand that we can't change your mind. Go ahead and sleep, I'll be here when you wake up."

She didn't approve of being told what to do; Andrew knew that, but if he couldn't make her see reason, he would at least make sure that she got enough rest for the upcoming procedure.

When he, too, finally fell asleep, he did not find himself in one of her dreams again.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi everyone!

I'm back after taking a break from writing. ;) My exams are coming up now so I will have difficulty writing a lot until July but this is a new chapter for you guys to read until the next one comes along. It NOT edited since I can't send any emails from my Laptop because of some technical issues. If you find anything you don't like or that doesn't add up concerning content/language, please write me a PM on or post it in a comment. ;)

Also, I have not read the final book as it hasn't arrived yet. :( I hope you enjoy this chapter nevertheless and don't forget to write a review. :)

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Kaleb POV:

Night had settled down in the eastern part of Europe and even though it was already close to midnight, Kaleb Krychek had yet to quit his work and join Sahara in bed. His mate had insisted that he should retire for the day two hours ago, but there was an urgent matter that kept Kaleb awake; one that could not be ignored. Despite the precautions he and his people had taken, the PsyNet continued to fall apart, the disease that had started to spread taking it down bit for bit, forcing thousands of psy to relocate or claiming their lives once and for all. Even now, as he sat at his desk, trying to think of a solution, the dark tentacles continued to reach out for intact parts of the Net, crawling towards the still shining stars to erase their very existence.

The lack of Empaths among their ranks was thought to be the origin of this disastrous deterioration but even after their rise in numbers and power, the disease continued to kill more and more parts of the Net and Kaleb had soon realized that, although slowing the process down, the E-psy did not solve the current problem. No, the origin had to be something else; something he had not taken into consideration yet.

Kaleb had tried to talk to the NetMind to find out what it knew about this disease but the sudden flow of emotions the young mind had sent him had not made any sense. No images, just pain, loss and fear. Over and over again.

He'd talked to Sahara about it, sharing his concern for the future of his race and, good-natured as she was, she'd told him to keep looking, that he'd already found a way to slow things down to save thousands of innocents.

He _had_ to find a way to stop the disease from spreading out over the entire Net. Not for himself, not for his people, but for _her_. She meant the world to him and he would stop at nothing to keep his love safe.

Finding the connection to the PsyNet was as easy as breathing for any living psy and so he entered it, cloaked to stay hidden from other minds. Millions of white stars spread out in front of him, some shining brightly in endless depths that was the network and some shimmering only faintly, but Kaleb Krychek did not pay them any attention; he was far more interested in one particular corner of the Net.

During his research concerning the disease, he'd found that the parts with an especially strong anchor were by far the healthiest and, as a result of the recent happenings, the most populated regions of the Net. This fact, although not surprising, was an important step in Kaleb's research. It also brought another problem with it: if the anchors vanished, the entire psy population within their reach would follow only seconds after. He had also come to the realization that, no matter how strong the psy, as the local anchor they still had to 'feed' all the minds surrounding them. The more the Net continued to shrink, the more minds they had to feed and Kaleb knew that it was only a matter of time until one of them collapsed under this immense pressure, taking thousands with them into death.

The region he was most concerned about at the moment was that of San Francisco.

Even though Sophia Russo was one of the strongest anchors in the Net, supported by a small number of less powerful psy and under constant protection, she would not be able to feed that many minds for a very long time. If the amount of psy moving to San Francisco and its surrounding areas didn't decrease or stop at all, the Ex-Councilor would find herself in a very threatening position. Nikita's death would cause an immense chaos among the ranks for their newly established coalition and an uproar in the entire world. They'd lose one of their most important public faces and a powerful ally; not to mention the vulnerability and loss of influence as part of the consequences that would inevitably follow.

Lucas POV:

Lucas chased Naya around their home, trying to catch his giggling daughter while Sascha watched them from the sofa with an amused glint in her cardinal eyes.

Even though she was still a bit unbalanced on her two little legs, Naya was surprisingly fast for her age. Every time Lucas thought he'd catch her, she found another piece of furniture to hide under and when he attempted to get her out, she simply crawled the other way and their game started again.

When he finally caught her and lifted her up, she squealed delightfully and let him carry her to the bathroom.

"Time for a bath, princess," Lucas said with a gentle smile and sat her down into the small tub he'd filled with water.

Naya giggled as he began to wash her and by the time he was finished it looked like he had taken a bath himself. He kissed his daughter's little nose and gently dried her off with a towel while she tried to catch a strand of his dark hair to play with it.

"If you keep doing that, papa will have to cut his hair," Lucas said, looking down at his child with all the love he possessed. She was the second center of his universe, the most precious thing in his life next to his mate.

"Papa!" Naya said happily, clapping her small hands together before stretching them out for him to take her into his arms.

Returning to the living room, Sascha greeted him with a warm smile and a kiss and gently touched Naya's cheek.

"Did she give you a hard time getting her clean?" His mate asked, remembering the last time she had attempted to bath Naya.

Lucas chuckled at the memory. "No, she behaved this time, but this shouldn't come as a surprise to you, kitten," he murmured next to her ear. "I am, after all, the coolest dad in the world. I beat you by lengths when it comes to bathing. Isn't that right, princess?"

Naya giggled again and nodded, reaching for his cheek.

He received a gentle nudge from Sascha who couldn't help but laugh at their daughter's reply. Lucas admired the two women in his life and he'd do anything to keep them safe.

"If you say so, Mr. Coolest-Daddy-in-the-world," his mate chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I won't have to worry about getting all wet in the future then, will I?"

"I don't know," Lucas said, a mischievous look on his face as he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. "It is my job, after all, to get you _all_ wet…"

Sascha rolled her eyes at that but didn't resist when he pulled her in for a deep kiss.

"You're impossible, Mr. Hunter," she murmured, his laugh vibrating through his entire body.

"That's why you love so much, kitten," he reminded her and Sascha smiled at him.

"Lo ya!" Naya interrupted them and stretched out her tiny arms in an attempt to hug them both. "Lo ya! Ma-ma, Pa-pa!"

Watching his daughter like that, her big green baby-eyes full of love and happiness, filled his own heart with pride.

He pressed Naya closer to his chest and gave her a light kiss on her forehead before placing his daughter in Sascha's waiting arms.

"We did good," he said, looking down at his mate who nodded in agreement.

She carried Naya over to the sofa and gently sat her down on the floor so she could play with all the stuffed animals Tamsyn and Nate had brought over shortly after her birth.

"Has Andrew called yet to inform you about your mother's current status?" Lucas asked, sitting down next to her.

Sascha's smile fainted and she shook her head. "No, I even thought about calling him myself but he already has a handful to do keeping an eye on her. I know that my mother can be difficult, I just didn't want to be an additional burden on him."

Lucas hated to see her worried and even though he didn't like Nikita Duncan, she was part of the family now; cold-blooded bitch or not, she still was his mate's mother and the pack couldn't simply ignore her.

"You're no burden on him, Sascha," he said. "It's only natural to worry about the person who raised you. Even if this person is Nikita Duncan."

She looked down at her hands and he wrapped an arm around her to give her some comfort. "I know, Lucas. I will never forgive her all the cruel things, the bloodshed she is responsible for, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost her." She sighed and closed her eyes for a second. "She was the only constant in my life while growing up. I don't agree with many of her methods but I think, considering her circumstances, she did everything to protect me."

Lucas nodded, feeling his mate's emotions through the bond that connected their souls. He pulled her closer and put a second arm around her. "You're not alone, kitten. Andrew is with her, he's not going to let her do anything that kills her and she has the best medical team one could hope for. If anyone makes it through such a procedure, it's Nikita Duncan."

Unknown POV:

The meeting was not part of their regular schedule and only the most important members of their ranks were present. He'd been called in shortly after returning from a mission that had lead him to the most deserted parts of Russia; a mission that did not have priority, but one he'd wanted to take care of before it was too late.

They did not meet physically as the risk of exposing their whereabouts or identities was even greater now that everyone was on high alert after Ex-Councilor Duncan had been shot. This, however, didn't pose any problems as every single one of them was more than capable of connecting on a psychical level, their sheer power expressed through the bright shining of their stars in the Net; one more powerful than the other.

After the invisible door had closed behind the last one to arrive, one of them spoke up. "Who requested this meeting?"

Only the one's present knew the names of the others, the risk of exposure or betrayal too high with so much at stake.

"I did." The voice came from a brightly shining star to his right. "The matter is urgent and cannot be ignored."

The words of Agent 1 were met with silence. Their time was too precious to be wasted.

"Councilor Duncan is alive. My source reported that she is currently recovering from her injuries in an unknown place outside of San Francisco."

The Councilor was still alive? He did not know who they had sent to eliminate her but whoever it was their work had been sloppy. No trained assassin would make the mistake of letting his target live.

"How can she still be alive?" Another voice asked, cool and controlled like the rest of them. "We sent one of our best assassins to eliminate Duncan."

"A TK-Psy was present at that time and immediately teleported her to the next hospital."

"We should have checked her employees first to prevent a mistake like this from happening." The same psy who had spoken earlier replied. "Who was responsible for this operation?"

"Agent 3 was sent for the execution."

He'd been silent so far, only observing the other attendees and keeping a low profile.

"Where is Agent 3 now?" The cold voice of a female belonged to Agent 9. She was one of the sharpest minds in their ranks; a force that he did not dare underestimate.

"He was erased when part of the Net collapsed two days ago. They won't find any connection to us."

With Agent 3 gone, they needed to elect a new member. There had to be nine Agents in their ranks and finding the right candidate had proved difficult in the past. He didn't expect it to be different this time. Unlike the Council, they had to work together in order to achieve the goal they all shared: purify the Net from defective psy and restore their power in the world. He trusted none of them and always watched his back, knowing of the cold-blooded actions of the other Agents.

"Do we already have a new candidate?" Agent 9 asked. "We can't afford to appear vulnerable."

"No. We need to concentrate on the girl, the election can wait." Agent 1 replied, his presence sharp as a razor. "How far along are we with the experiment, Agent 2?"

Now it was his time to raise his voice. "The most recent results Dr. Schwarz sent me showed some improvement compared to the first tests, but we still haven't reached the final phase. The minds of the subjects are not strong enough to survive the chips' activation."

"I see. How long until we can use them on subject Z117?"

"Dr. Schwarz confirmed that Z117 is ready for the transplantation. However, the recent results showed that the risk of failure when activating the chips is too high to use them on Z117. She is too valuable t to lose her. I'm expecting another report on Sunday this week." Being one of the most experienced members, his position allowed him to have more freedom than most of the others. He was too involved to be replaced by a new Agent.

"I expect you to inform me about the next steps, Agent 2. We cannot afford to lose more time on this matter." The warning in Agent 1's words was clear. "The changelings keep her guarded in the heart of Yosemite Park. Without Z117, we cannot reach Nadyia Hunter."

The experiment was their utmost priority now. He knew what was at stake; their race had to be protected and Z117 was the key to their success.

* * *

Okay, I'm particularly unhappy about that last part. I don't want to reveal too much about this mysterious organization but they will play a huge role in the Story. Still, if the last part is too irritating please let me know! ;)


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow, it's been over a year since I updated this story! I'm so terribly sorry but I just couldn't find a proper way to go on. I know how I want the story to end and the overall plot line, but I didn't know how to put it to words.**

 **I had to re-read some of the books to get a feeling for the characters again and I'm afraid that they're all horribly OOC but I really wanted to pick this up again!**

 **I'll let you be the judge of this chapter and hope to get some reviews this time. I know that there aren't too many people into the psy/changeling-genre on here but at this point, it would be very helpful if I knew how I'm doing.**

 **Hope you'll enjoy reading the chapter!**

* * *

Andrew POV:

With a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, Andrew headed towards their new meeting room on the second floor of the bungalow. The recent discovery that his favorite drink tasted far better when it was freshly made in the cafeteria had resulted in him spending the majority of his research time at one of the many round tables there. It was still a mystery to him why a single psy would build a place that could easily accommodate hundreds of people when it was only meant to host a single person – and her staff.

Today, however, three days after Nikita's fateful decision to undergo reconditioning, Andrew would not be digging into the attempted assassination all by himself. No, today he would be sharing his thoughts and findings with the others, excluding his current protégé since she still found herself unable to attend meetings that required her to leave her bed.

It had cost Andrew many nerves and he'd had to keep his leopard on a tight leash, to finally convince Nikita that she should at least wait a few days for her injuries to heal before undertaking the procedure.

He growled lowly in his throat when he thought back to their conversation. It had taken all his strength to not shift into his cat-self and sink his teeth into her neck to make her see reason but he had not given in, had been relentless in his determination to make her reconsider.

No-one had ever made him this angry and Andrew was furious at his lack of control, but right now, he needed to focus on the more important things in life. Nikita's mind could not be swayed, there was nothing he could do; but he could help find the assassin who'd almost killed her.

A few days ago, a thought had entered his mind that had led him to reconsider their approach to finding the culprit. During the investigation of the crime scene, they had found evidence that the bullet used to kill Nikita was the same type as that used by the assassin who tried to hit Aden as well, indicating that the cases were linked. What had continuously irked him was that the assassin, who they still had no lead on, had left behind not only the rifle but also his coat.

Opening the door to the newly appointed meeting room, Andrew shook his head. An assassin hired to kill Nikita Duncan, one of the most powerful people on this planet, would never be this sloppy – at least, not a professional killer.

Wordlessly, he sat down next to Lucas Hunter, alpha of the DarkRiver leopards and mate of Sascha Duncan who was seated to his right.

Andrew noticed that Aden and Vasic were also present, as well as Hawke, the leader of the SnowDancer wolves. He acknowledged them all with a respectful nod, knowing fully that they were among the handful of people entrusted with the information of the hideout's location. Despite this fact, Andrew would only ever answer to Lucas, his loyalty never in question.

"Alright," Lucas spoke up, the dominant aura of an alpha clearly audible in his voice. "Now that we're complete, we can start the meeting."

"Will Kaleb and Anthony join in as well?" Hawke asked, his blue eyes resting on Lucas.

"No," the DarkRiver alpha said. "We will fill them in once we know what Andrew has to share with us. I didn't see the need to make this meeting an official one. Not when there's no solid evidence."

"But you asked us to come here," Hawke stated.

Andrew knew that it wasn't meant to question Lucas' decision to call them here, but he detected the dangerous glint in the panther's green eyes when he replied.

"What Andrew has to tell us could finally provide us with a lead in this case," Lucas said calmly, despite his tense posture. "Someone is trying destroy whatever stability we've been able to create. I'm not going to take any risks here, not when there's so much at stake. Aden and Vasic were part of the first people to arrive at the crime scene, and you know very well that this affects your pack as well - "

Sascha, her cardinal eyes full of worry and love for her mate, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She looked as tired as Andrew felt and he couldn't blame her. Her own mother had almost died from the injuries she'd sustained less than a week ago and was about to undertake a procedure that threatened to end her life if she wasn't strong enough to handle it. Hell, he even admired Sascha for the strength she showed while also protecting her only child from the greedy claws of those who wanted to harm her.

"I know that the bullet was the same type as that used by the assassin who tried to hit Aden," Andrew finally said when Hawke and Lucas allowed him to speak up. "But I think that we're dealing with two different cases here. Whoever wanted the Counselor dead would have hired nothing less than a professional assassin, not someone who'd leave behind a mountain of evidence that could lead as to them."

Vasic nodded. Neither his expression nor his body language showed what was going on in his mind and Andrew had to remind himself once more that, as much as he disliked not being able to read his opponents' behavior, the Arrows were part of the Ruling Coalition and had pledged their allegiance to the DarkRiver leopards as well as the SnowDancer wolves. Vasic's presence alone made it clear how much trust Lucas and even Nikita Duncan had in him to support their cause.

"It sounds plausible," Vasic replied. "The forensic team that went over the apartment used by the shooter found no other evidence and the owner of the coat was found dead in his own backyard. There was nothing that linked him with any of the shootings. No connection to a political or an opposing party."

Lucas nodded, his expression grim. "So, we're not dealing with another fanatical group like Pure Psy - this is too strategic. What makes Nikita stand out that someone would specifically go after her?"

Andrew had had the same thought when he first realized that there might not be a connection between her and Aden at all. He didn't have an answer for this question – not yet.

"Numerous things," Aden said. "None of which sound important enough to go to such lengths, however. Nikita Duncan is a powerful business woman, a former Council Member and now part of the Ruling Coalition. She was one of the first to publicly speak out against Silence."

"This also applies to Anthony and, partly, to you," Hawke threw in, looking at the Arrow leader. "If the cases are not related, the Ruling Coalition can be ruled out as the reason for the attack. Whoever hired the assassin to kill Nikita did not do it to divide us."

"You think we're dealing with a contract killer?" Lucas asked. "An intelligent enemy."

"Yes. The fewer people in the inner circle, the fewer people who could leak data."

It was an intelligent move, Andrew thought. Not only throwing them off their scent with false evidence, but also hiring someone who had no inside knowledge of the organization and could not accidentally spill any information about their whereabouts.

"Do we have anything on the human who owned the coat we found at the crime scene?" Andrew asked.

"Nothing noteworthy," Vasic replied. "No living relatives, worked at a diner downtown, no wife or children."

"Very convenient," Andrew said with a sigh. "Nobody to file a missing person's report. The diner would be a starting point though. I doubt that it'll lead to anything but maybe some of the staff members have noticed something was off."

"I'll head there tomorrow with Clay, see what we can find out," Lucas agreed with him. "It's our best shot at the moment. Unless your people have found out more…"

"No," Aden shook his head. "The body was a dead end. I will come along tomorrow. If the assassin was psy, they might have left behind a trace we can follow."

Lucas nodded. "It's settled then."

His tone was final and Andrew knew that the meeting was officially over. He hadn't touched his coffee while they'd been talking and it was now cold with a bitter taste to it. He grimaced at the unpleasant taste in his mouth and stood up to get himself a fresh cup.

"Andrew." It was Sascha who approached him at the door. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

He nodded and followed her out of the room, knowing that Lucas would be listening in with half an ear in case his mate was in danger – not that Andrew posed a threat to either of them, but his alpha was very protective when it came to the woman he'd claimed as his own.

"Is this about Nikita?" Andrew asked when she'd closed the door behind them.

Sascha nodded, then sighed. "I tried to talk to her again this morning but she keeps insisting on going through with it!"

 _It_ – the reconditioning.

Anger boiled up inside Andrew and he swallowed it down with some difficulty, the leopard baring its teeth inside its cage. Maybe the reason he cared so much about the former Councilor was that she was the mother of his alpha's mate, though deep down in his heart he knew he was wrong. There was more to it, he could feel it. Yet, it was impossible to get through to the cold, distant woman who'd kill him in an instant if he came too close again.

"I know that there's nothing we can do to alter her decision," Sascha said defeatedly, the pain caused by this realization evident in her eyes. "I keep telling myself that she'll be alright, but I'm not sure that it's a long-term solution. I'm telling you this not because Lucas has assigned you to protect her while she's in danger, but because I feel that you should know – call it a gut instinct if you like, I just know that it's the right thing to do."

Nikita POV:

Nikita had allowed herself to rest while the DarkRiver Sentinel was attending a meeting with Lucas Hunter. Her body was recovering from her injuries at a slow rate, the pain a constant reminder of the severity of her wounds but it was nothing she was incapable of dealing with. She'd slept through the worst of it, had put herself under so her mind could rest.

Now, however, she had to tend to another matter; one that required her to be conscious. With the lessening effect of the analgesics came back the control over her psychic abilities and her shields needed Nikita's full concentration. Why she had agreed to wait and give her body more time to heal until she underwent reconditioning was something she couldn't explain. It had been a severe mistake, one she was already beginning to pay for.

A quick glance and several adjustments later, Nikita's outer shields were as impeccable as they had been before; a titanium-strong wall that would require an extraordinary powerful psy to break down. Something no one had ever managed to do.

She had not lost control over her feelings again since Andrew Brown had miraculously found a way to enter her mind on his second day while they were both asleep. Nikita was certain that the changeling had not actively been trying to breach her defenses, that it had been slip-up on her part and she was careful not to cause a repeat of it.

Before she could tend to the dangerously fragile part of her inner walls, a soft telepathic knock made her refocus on the caller; Kaleb Krychek, the perhaps most powerful TK-psy alive.

 _Kaleb_ , she pathed, well aware that she could not ignore his calls.

 _Nikita,_ Kaleb responded.

There was no politeness in his voice, no emotion that betrayed the reason for his call.

 _Is there a problem with the Coalition that require my assistance?_

Krychek had rarely called her on matters other than political ones since the fall of Silence had split the old Council apart. She had no reason to believe otherwise this time, but his presence when she was this vulnerable and exposed instinctively made her body tense.

 _Nothing we are incapable of handling without your presence,_ his voice whispered in Nikita's mind. _No, this is about a discovery I've made concerning the deterioration of the PsyNet._

Interesting. _As I understand it, this falls under the responsibility of the E category. I don't see why you should contact me about it. There's nothing I could do to stop the disease from spreading._

There was a short silence.

 _Empaths are not the solution to our problem,_ Kaleb finally replied. _We only managed to slow down the process, not stop it entirely._

This was a development she had not foreseen. Nikita had thought that the rising power of the Empaths in the PsyNet had stopped the spread of the disease that had started to kill the only source of life for her people.

 _Do the Empaths know?_

 _No,_ came his short reply.

 _There is a reason why you chose to contact me first._ It was not a question, more a statement. His actions made it clear that he'd decided to tell her before letting anyone else know. More often than not, Kaleb's motives were a mystery to the former Councilor, but in a pit full of vipers, he was the least one she partially understood. He was a powerful ally, one of the main pillars that carried the Ruling Coalition.

 _Your anchors will not be able to support the region on their own for very much longer._


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone!**

 **It's a little bit sad that most of you seem to have lost interest in this story and I do apologize for the infrequent updates. It took me a hell of a lot of time to finally, _finally_ finish chapter 8! I re-wrote the second part of it what feels like a thousand times, not liking the way it ended. But, here you have it, the official version of it! ;)**

 **It would be great if I could get some reviews on how I am doing. I know I've left you waiting for a year for chapter 7 but I have picked things up again.**

 **Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

Kaleb POV:

Sitting behind the desk in his office, Kaleb Krychek wondered if telling Nikita of the imminent threat of the PsyNet's deterioration around San Francisco had been the right decision. Yet, none of his actions had ever been without deliberation and a clear understanding of the benefits that could result for him.

The Net needed stability right now, more so than ever before. Even though the Council had split up months ago, the death of a former Councilor would have catastrophic consequences, their psychic powers strong enough that their race might not recover from the blast – and San Francisco was home to not only one, but two of the most powerful Psy in the Net.

Kaleb would make sure to remind them both that it had been him who'd warned them of the danger, would collect his favor when the time was due. But first, he had to contact Anthony. Nikita was of no use to him if she succumbed to her injuries; as unlikely as that scenario seemed. He'd make sure that there'd be another ally alive who knew he owed Kaleb a favor.

 _Silver,_ he pathed. _Reschedule my appointment with BlackEagle. I have another matter that needs my attention now._

 _Consider it done, Sir._

 _Thank you._

Silver Mercant had never let him down, and Kaleb Krychek never forgot those loyal to him.

Andrew POV:

Andrew ran his hand though his unruly hair, brushing some of the black strands out of his face in the process. He'd tried to get a hold of Eric once the meeting had ended, but the man was either horribly busy or something else was keeping him from answering his phone.

Andrew decided to give his old friend another day until he'd ask Lucas to pay him a visit. The DarkRiver Alpha usually didn't follow such requests, not if the person in question wasn't someone he held dear. He'd make an exception for one of his most trusted advisors though; and because Eric might be able to provide them with the necessary contacts to find out more about the unknown shooter.

Overcome with a sudden protective instinct, the leopard extended its claws with a low growl. He'd been assigned to guard Nikita Duncan. It was his job now to keep her safe.

Within a span of five minutes, he reached the door to her room and opened it, the beast inside him surprisingly calm and collected.

Almond-shaped eyes met his blue ones, cold and emotionless as ever. It reminded him of Sascha's words earlier after the meeting, of her genuine concern about the woman who had, despite her seemingly cold-hearted nature, raised her. The thought of the upcoming procedure made his blood boil and Andrew had to use every ounce of his self-control to contain his anger.

It was in this moment, however, that he realized that an open confrontation wouldn't get him very far. The woman before him had come off age in a world ruled by Silence, her shields weaved and readjusted over more than five decades, flawless and unyielding. She'd been in the Council for a considerable period of time, her lethal ability combined with a razor-sharp intelligence making her a dangerous opponent. Andrew didn't need Sascha to tell him that Nikita would not tolerate his touch; he had learned that the hard way. And even though everything in his nature as a changeling screamed that she was strong enough to handle it, the man knew that this Psy was nothing like her daughter or the petite F-Psy who'd grown up in total isolation. Her age and experience, however, was not what set her apart from Sascha and Faith. They both lacked something Nikita had been born with; the killer gene.

"The coat we found at the crime scene belonged to a human called Michael Werner," he said when Nikita remained silent, only staring at him with cool interest. "Lucas and Aden are going to interrogate the employees at his former workplace, a downtown diner, to see if they can get a lead on the shooter."

Andrew was glad he didn't have to explain all the details to the former Councilor. Nikita had already been informed by her security chief, Max Shannon. She was familiar with the case.

"Good."

Andrew suppressed a growl. The woman's obvious lack of emotions when it came to a threat to her own life made the leopard furious.

"Do you even care?", he suddenly asked, his voice harsh.

The question had caught her off guard. _Good,_ Andrew thought. It gave her less time to come up with a potential lie to avoid telling him the truth.

"Your question is directed at the emotional level," Nikita said steely. "I do not feel."

 _Liar,_ Andrew thought, the leopard hissing at the woman before him. He knew what he'd seen in the short moment when he'd been in her dream and it was not the stone-cold bitch the world thought her to be.

"I told you, Nikita, you can fool other Psy with your flawless conditioning," he said quietly, observing her reaction. "I'm a changeling, I know when I'm right. I just don't understand why you would try to hide it."

"I am not my daughter, Mr. Brown." Her appearance was that of an arctic ice-sculpture, her gaze hard. "I am Silent. I can't be anything but Silent."

"Who are you trying to convince?" he asked with a snort, sitting down in the chair next to her bed. "We both know your lying, Nikita."

"It is dangerous to make assumptions about someone you do not know, Mr. Brown," Nikita replied, a silent but unmistakable threat to let the matter rest in her tone. "You will find that it would be better for your… health, if you refrained from digging into strangers' private lives."

A cat-like grin appeared on his features. He knew that she was trying to put him off with a death threat, her ability to infect other minds with deadly viruses a rumor that Andrew knew to be true. He'd seen her kill when Henry Scott's men tried to infiltrate Duncan Tower in an attempt to end her life.

"It's a good thing then, that we'll get to know each other while I'm guarding you, isn't it?" He chuckled when he met her icy glare. "That way I won't have to worry about a sudden… _decline_ in my health. It'd be very inconvenient, if I found myself bedridden with a nasty case of the flu…"

He was mocking her now and the slightest twitch of her eye told Andrew that his new tactic was getting to her. The leopard purred contently in its mental cage, its tail flicking with playful anticipation. If the woman wanted to play, it was more than happy to oblige.

Andrew leaned back in the chair with a smug expression on his face. He'd thaw her out of that giant mountain of ice she'd built around herself. He'd promised Sascha to keep Nikita from hurting herself even further, and Andrew Brown was a man of his word.

Unknown POV:

Once more, the invisible door in the PsyNet fell shut. The stars of the eight minds present for their secret meeting shone brightly in the darkness, their lights cold and powerful.

"Z117 is ready for transplantation."

He'd made sure Dr. Schwarz would focus solely on their most important subject. Everything else was neglectable in comparison.

"There have been no other casualties?" Agent 1 had been there longer than any of them, his mind as sharp as a razor.

"No."

Silence.

"When can we expect her to be ready for use?"

"A week from now."

There was no interruption. Z117 was the sole purpose of their meeting, her importance big enough to include all agents.

"What about Nikita Duncan?"

"Still in the safe location," Agent 9 replied. "According to our sources, the Arrows are providing additional protection."

Her star shone brightly next to his. He would not make the mistake to trust her. His predecessor had decided to let down his guard, believing her to be a loyal ally. He was no longer among their ranks.

"We can't strike against Krychek," said Agent 4 coolly. "We cannot afford to attract unwanted attention of any kind."

"I agree. We will wait until Duncan moves out of her hideout. I will think of an adequate strategy to remove her from the equation until then."

There was a silent agreement among their ranks. Patience was necessary to deal with a matter of this delicate nature. Nikita Duncan was a thorn in their side. One that had to be removed.

Nikita POV[FW1] :

Nikita's sleep was dreamless. As it had always been before Sascha was born. Before her air-tight walls of Silence had been ripped apart for the first time by the force that was her daughter's cardinal nature.

The pain in her body was slowly beginning to subside, diminished to a numb throbbing of the healing wounds that covered her torso. Using her mind to control the pain was merely a temporary solution. Of course, she was not careless enough to subdue all of it. Numbing her nerves could result in catastrophic consequences should she miss the sings of internal damages.

For the moment, she let herself float in the dark nothingness of her mind.

Something brushed her inner shields on the psychic plane. Suddenly, Nikita's senses were on high alert. She didn't panic, remained calm like the Psy she had been brought up to be. She immediately checked her outer shields for cracks, found none and returned to the deeper part of her mind. Someone had managed to sneak past her defences without triggering the alarms she'd so carefully set up.

Carefully, Nikita stretched out her senses, when she felt the other being brush her shields again. Prepared to strike, one of her deadliest viruses ready to be unleashed, she went after the uninvited guest.

 _?_ _?_ _?_

Confusion. Uncertainty. Sadness. A picture followed. One of the exact same virus she'd been about to set free.

Was this the NetMind? Nikita had never communicated with it. She stopped in her pursuit, watching it with interest. She was not able to feel the emotions it emitted, yet she knew exactly what they were.

The Net Mind sent her another image, this time of her inner shields.

 _They are crumbling,_ she pathed. _They have to be restored._

 _?_ _?_ _?_

It didn't understand her words. Nikita replied with an image showing the cracks in her shields, followed by one when her Silence had still kept them intact.

The NetMind sent her a cascade of pictures, too fast to see all of them clearly despite her high telepathic abilities.

It floated back to her shields, examining them Nikita realized. She had never dealt with the young mind before, its intentions unknown to her.

She followed as it circled around her defences. There was a new crack in the walls, an almost invisible fracture; but it was there. Nikita reached out to close it.

 _?_ _?_ _?_

Images of the Net popped up in her head, the black tendrils of the disease eating away at it, massive parts collapsing.

 _I don't understand._ She sent back a question mark, unable to connect the events.

Another image. The brightly shining star of Sophia Russo, its light getting weaker under the weight of the many minds connected to it.

 _Your anchors will not be able to support the region on their own for very much longer._ Nikita remembered Krychek's warning. She would have to schedule a meeting with her current aide. The threat was too severe to ignore it. It would mean their death.

Nikita sensed a telepathic knock on her outer shields, polite and familiar.

 _Anthony,_ she greeted the other mind, allowing the connection.

The NetMind's presence had vanished.

 _We need to talk,_ Anthony pathed, then paused. _Is this time not convenient for you?_

 _It's fine._

Her outer shields were intact, flawless to observers. However, lately, Anthony seemed to have developed the ability to see through her façade. It was a dangerous gamble, working closer together to defend their territory, but he had yet to betray her. Nikita valued loyalty and as long as he did not stab her in the back, she saw no reason to jeopardize their alliance.

 _I had an interesting conversation with Kaleb today,_ Anthony informed her.

 _Is this about the anchors supporting our region?_

 _You already know?_

 _Yes,_ she replied unfazed.

She did not tell him about the NetMind. Not yet. She couldn't risk to let him think something was wrong.

 _We have too many Psy moving to San Francisco._ Anthony's voice was hard. _A collapse would be catastrophic._

He was right.

 _What do you suggest?_

 _An emergency meeting with the Coalition,_ Anthony said.

Nikita remained silent, considering their options.

 _We can't keep this quiet, Nikita. If the Net collapses, we will die with it._

And if they fell, the city would fall with them. The truth of these unspoken words hung between them.

 _I agree,_ she replied finally. _There will undoubtedly be a mass panic if this is made public._

 _I am aware._ Of course, Anthony had considered the possible disadvantages beforehand. _But we cannot not do this on our own._

A wave of exhaustion washed over her as her mind struggled to maintain her connection with Anthony while simultaneously attending to her injuries and shields.

 _You should rest,_ he told her. _I will request a Coalition meeting tomorrow._

 _I am not that weak._ Protesting was against her nature, yet Nikita had the sudden need to defend herself. It was unfamiliar, did not fit with her worldview, but her senses were already slipping.

 _You are exhausted,_ Anthony's voice whispered in her head. _Go to sleep, Nikita._

 _Don't tell me what to do…_

She didn't stay conscious long enough to hear his reply.


End file.
